Trades are hardest jobs to fill. CTE
creates needed skilled workforce.
2-yr grads out-earn their 4-yr peers, and
many of these are CTE students.

Writer

Designer

join us on twitter every friday @rcumsu

Amanda Bolan
aubrey penner

Want your school featured

in Connections?

We want to hear about your success stories, awards,
and program accomplishments. If you have a story
idea, please contact Kristen Dechert at
kristen.dechert@rcu.msstate.edu.
The photos you see throughout this issue are Mississippi
students. If you want your school photographed for
the Connections library, please contact Amanda Bolan
at amanda.bolan@rcu.msstate.edu.

- Photo submitted by district

Every dollar spent on secondary CTE
returns $9 in revenues and benefits.
Involvement in CTE student orgs
increases motivation, grades, aspirations,
employability, and more!
39% of job applicants lack leadership
skills. CTE project-based learning helps
bridge that gap.
Student engagement drops with each
grade. CTE keeps kids engaged with
project-based learning.
3M open jobs in the US, but employers
can't find qualified workers. CTE helps
fill the skills gap.
Including CTE in the high school
experience keeps kids in school and
improves graduation rates.
By 2018, the US will need 4.7M new
workers with PS certificates.
60% academic and 40% CTE courses
is most effective dropout prevention
program.

editor’s note
This spring brought Mississippi CTE stories of longheld traditions, like CTE Capitol Day (p. 2), as well
as groundbreaking partnerships, including Energy
Technology pilot programs (p. 10). Whether forging
new territory or continuing on a path already successful,
you and your students have exciting stories to tell.
I hope you’ll take the time to read about the new
performance-based assessments for Teacher Academy,
Early Childhood Education, Polymer Science, and
Simulation and Animation Design (p. 4) and the dualcredit programs offered in Brookhaven and Columbus
(p. 12). Also, check out what Madison County, one of
the first districts in Mississippi to adopt a bring-yourown-device policy, is doing to embrace technology in
their schools and to encourage teachers to use it in their
classrooms (p. 18).
Just as exciting as the innovative changes are the proven
activities that programs throughout the state use to
prepare students for college and careers. Mississippi CTE
students continue to participate in robotics competitions
(p. 20), and educators are challenging gender stereotypes
to encourage student pursuit of nontraditional courses
and careers (p. 6). In this issue, we’ve tried to capture
both your enthusiasm about and your commitment to
CTE, and I think you’ll enjoy reading about colleagues
and students from around the state just as much as we
have enjoyed writing about them.
Along with these feature stories, we’ve packed the issue
full of announcements of awards and local events, a list
of iPad apps for the classroom, fall testing dates, and MS
ACTE/MDE conference information. You’ll also find two
compelling profiles: The married duo Joyce and Robert
Suitor (p. 16) from Alcorn talk about how they ended
up sharing an office as student services coordinators,
and Lexi Delmas from Wayne County gives advice for
students wanting to start a recycling program like she
did (p. 21).
As you know, funding grows tighter each year. As
budgets become smaller, our duty to prove the value of
CTE becomes greater. I hope you will share this issue of
Connections with your local policymakers, parents, and
community members. Telling others about successful
CTE students and the impact they have on Mississippi’s
economy helps ensure a strong future for your local
programs and CTE statewide.

Kristen Dechert
Managing Editor
Connections Spring 2013 1

students’ skills shine
for cte month
By Diane L. Godwin

February is national Career and Technical Education Month, and
this year, several organizations’ constituencies amped up activities
to spread the word about the value of CTE. The U.S. Department
of Education, the Association for Career and Technical Education,
the National Association for State Career and Technical Directors
Consortium, and students, educators, and other stakeholders from
across the country joined together to celebrate CTE. Their message
was unified: CTE programs help students excel in college and
careers and therefore are essential to building America’s economy.
On Wednesday, February 13, several representatives of the 113th
Congress shared comments from the house floor. As reported
on capitolwords.org, Congressman Jim Langevin (R.I.) initiated
the conversation: "CTE is an investment in the

future of our economy, our workforce,
and our country. From skills training in high schools

to community colleges and professional programs, CTE plays a
critical role for workers of every age.”

The prior evening, President Obama called for more support for
CTE in his State of the Union address, stating that in order to
close the skills gap and fill 48 million high-tech jobs predicted
to be available in 2018, the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical
Education Act of 2006, which for the past three years has received
no increases in funding, should be reauthorized. Education,
business, and industry experts concur: If our nation is to meet the

CTE CAPITOL DAY

needs of a modern economy, education that trains workers for
high-skilled fields is a must.
To spearhead the national celebration, the ACTE launched a
nationwide CTE Month campaign entitled “Career and Technical
Education Works!” The organization provided downloadable
logos, fact sheets, news-release templates, and talking points for
CTE student organizations and others to use for messaging at the
state and local levels. The organization even launched a social
media advocacy campaign, encouraging educators and students
to post on legislators’ Facebook walls, to share students’ CTE
experiences on the ACTE blog, and to tweet relevant CTE messages
with suggested Twitter hashtags, #CTEMonth, #EdReform, and
#Skillsgap, to facilitate the nationwide CTE advocacy conversation.
In addition, they conducted the 2013 CTE Month Student Video
Public Service Announcement Contest; the winning team received
$750, and the second-place team was awarded $250. Both videos
were posted on the ACTEonline.org/ctemonth Web page.
Like many other states, Mississippi participated in this national
advocacy month on the state level as well. Sponsored by the
Mississippi Department of Education Office of Career and
Technical Education, the annual Mississippi CTE Capitol Day
convened in the State Capitol rotunda, where invited students and
teachers showcased their programs, demonstrated their skills, and
shared their CTE success stories. CTE Capitol Day’s primary goal is
to educate both legislators and citizens about opportunities that
are available to students in Mississippi in the areas of CTE. Kendra
Taylor, state supervisor for technology education and science,
technology, engineering, and math programs, organized the event.
“CTE Capitol Day is important to the state CTE programs because

2

Connections Spring 2013

STUDENTS’ SKILLS SHINE FOR CTE MONTH

feature

it provides an opportunity for students to showcase skill sets that
they have learned within the 16 National Career Clusters, known
in Mississippi as Pathways to Success,” explained Taylor. “This gives
the state representatives a chance to talk firsthand with students
and teachers about how CTE is successfully making a difference
in the lives of students by getting them career and college ready.”
Nine high school CTE teachers and their students, representing
various career clusters, were invited to the event:
• Brent Hammons, Agricultural Food and Natural Resources,
Pisgah High School
• Eileen Sumlin, Hospitality and Tourism, Hattiesburg High
School
• Monica Washington, Arts, A/V Technology and
Communications, Hattiesburg High School
• Trey Gore, Arts, A/V Technology and Communications, Hinds
Rankin Career and Technical Center
• Rod Hollins, Hospitality and Tourism, Laurel High School
Vocational Complex
• Martha Stokes, Health Sciences, Philadelphia-Neshoba Career
and Technology Center
• Penny Wells, Health Sciences, Winston-Louisville Career and
Technology Center
• Charlie Melton, Manufacturing, Clinton High School
Career Complex
• Dale McCraw, Manufacturing, Madison Career and
Technical Center

Recognition of CTE Month at the local level raised awareness
about CTE in local communities as well. Tommy Irwin, the
mayor of Corinth, supported Alcorn Career and Technology
Center’s celebration, signing the city’s CTE Month proclamation.
Throughout their weeklong celebration, ACTC also offered
escorted tours of the CTE center in conjunction with campus
tours of Northeast Mississippi Community College for secondyear ACTC students. Finally, student services personnel hosted
a Nontraditional Student Day. Further south, Hattiesburg CTE
instructors showcased the nine career clusters offered in that
district to help students explore a variety of career areas that will
equip them with the academic knowledge and technical skills vital
for entry into the 21st-century workforce.
Next year, Mississippi’s CTE Capitol Day will be February 18,
2014, at the State Capitol rotunda. For more information, contact
Kendra Taylor at ktaylor@mde.k12.ms.us.

teacher of excellence–Program of Excellence
Trey Gore, a CTE instructor for 12 years and currently teaching Digital Media Technology
at Hinds Community College–Pearl and Rankin Career and Technical Center, received
the Technology & Engineering Teacher Excellence Award at the ITEEA conference in
Columbus, OH, on March 8, 2013. The prestigious Teacher Excellence Award is given
in recognition of technology- and engineering-education teachers. Additionally, Gore’s
DMT program received the Program Excellence Award from ITEEA in 2012.
Connections Spring 2013 3

Hands-On Assessment to
Match Hands-On Learning
By Kristen Dechert

"My students aren't good test takers. Students
enroll in my class to do hands-on work, not
to take multiple-choice tests. Exams don't
accurately measure how well my students
know how to do a task." These and other concerns

have become common for teachers in post-No Child Left Behind
education, and many feel these concerns are quite valid. An
English teacher guides his students through essay writing; an
engineering teacher works with her students to solve a structural
problem; and an information technology teacher helps his
students properly build a computer network. All are processes
that require critical thinking, yet all are assessed by multiplechoice tests at the state and national levels. For four career and
technical education programs in Mississippi, the method of endof-program assessment is changing this year. Instead of taking the
traditional state test (Mississippi Career Planning and Assessment
System, Second Edition) this spring, second-year students in
Teacher Academy, Early Childhood Education, Polymer Science,
and Simulation and Animation Design will be participating in
performance-based assessments. Rather than taking multiplechoice tests, students will complete a task that directly relates to
the course curriculum competencies and will be evaluated by a
team of professionals in their field.

This April, while 25,000 students across the state are taking MSCPAS2 tests, approximately 1,000 students at 53 testing sites
around the state will be completing job-specific tasks in real time
and in front of a panel of industry professionals. The Mississippi
PBA has two parts: First, students will complete a job application
and résumé, which teachers will evaluate separately. Second, the
students will have three hours to complete a task and participate
in a question-answer session with their evaluators. During this
session, evaluators may ask students why they chose a particular
course of action or how they might have done something
differently if given another set of parameters.
The tasks students will complete are aligned to curriculum
competencies and will be similar to what they would complete on
the job. For example, students in Teacher Academy may plan a
lesson with accommodations made for a student with a disability,
or Polymer Science students may create a mixture for a particular
type of plastic. Rather than answering questions about how to
do a certain task, they will actually complete the task. “We have
all seen a situation where a student suffers from test anxiety and
forgets definitions they memorized or the name of something,”
said Owen. "With PBA, students will be more comfortable because

Assessment development, coordinated by Ashley Brown of the
Mississippi State University Research and Curriculum Unit,
began in August 2012. Since then, Brown has been meeting with
teachers from across the state to develop a reliable and valid
assessment platform for the participating programs. Of utmost
concern, said Brown, are student outcomes, and both she and
Sean Owen, RCU assessment manager, believe achievement
scores will rise with the PBA approach. “These students are used
to performing tasks in the classroom; now we’re going to assess
them doing what they’re used to doing in class. It just makes sense
that scores will improve,” said Owen.

Amory Culinary students’
gingerbread creations are
popular exhibit at local
museum
Dianne Young’s Culinary Arts students from Amory
Vocational Center presented their gingerbread houses
at the Amory Regional Museum from the week after
Thanksgiving until the end of December. An annual
exhibit for the last three years, the display is one of the
museum’s most popular exhibits.
4

Connections Spring 2013

HANDS-ON ASSESSMENT TO MATCH HANDS-ON LEARNING

feature

Another benefit of PBA is the connection to local industry it will
foster. The three-person evaluation committee for each school will
comprise professionals from businesses and industry in the local
community and members of the CTE center’s advisory board,
known as the craft committee. By having these people perform
the evaluation, teachers will receive feedback on how their
programs are aligned to industry standards and if improvements
are needed, and industry professionals get a chance to observe
the students they might hire to work for them after graduation.
Owen said this partnership will be invaluable to teachers: “Right
now, we provide a lot of statistical information to teachers about
how their students do on CPAS, but the comments and

feedback they will get from their evaluators
will be far superior because it will be detailed
and tailored to what the evaluators actually
saw students doing in a task, not just how
they did on a test question."

they will be doing what they've already done in a classroom,
and that anxiety should be lower.…If students are being asked
to change brake pads in the classroom, let’s watch them change
brake pads in the assessment,” Owen added. “Let’s don’t ask them
to answer questions about changing those pads; let’s actually let
them do it.”
The need to match hands-on work with hands-on assessment is
the battle cry for PBA supporters, but most, including Owen and
Brown, do not suggest abandoning traditional testing altogether.
Mississippi CTE students enroll in a program for two years,
with the first dedicated to learning the basics of a career field or
trade and the second focused on honing skills to become ready
for the workforce or postsecondary education. Both Owen and
Brown recommend continuing to use the MS-CPAS2 for firstyear students because the nature of the competencies at that
level more readily lend themselves to traditional testing. Typical
first-year competencies are related to regulations, safety, industry
standards, and identifying proper tools, parts, and processes.
Computer-based, multiple-choice exams are the logical choice
for assessing this content knowledge, said Owen. But when
the competencies require students to demonstrate a deeper
knowledge, such as designing a classroom layout, building a
structure, or creating animation for a television ad, the multiplechoice test, although aligned to curriculum competencies, often
fails to truly capture the depth and breadth of a student’s ability.

Sandy Adams, Early Childhood Education teacher and PBA
committee member, shared her excitement about PBA being
implemented in her program. She explained that PBA takes
assessment a step further by not only testing what students
know but by requiring students to put that knowledge into
practice. “Instead of being able to use process of elimination on
a test, students will have to know [for example], ‘yes, a preschoolage child needs this much space, and this room is 12 by 20, so
I can have this many children in this space.’” Adams noted
that she has always implemented PBA in her classroom, even
if it went by another name, “because that is the nature of CTE.”
Her students have been designing daycare layouts, planning
lessons, and developing activities for years, and she said she has
been evaluating them on those measures all along. Having the
statewide assessment mirror this approach will be familiar to her
and her students, and to many other CTE teachers as well.
Not everyone has such positive views of PBA. Some feel that the
assessment practice has limitations. One common concern is
that PBA relies on humans to score student performance rather
than an unbiased computer or scanning machine. To address
this concern, Owen’s team has developed criterion rubrics to
define the parameters of student performance. These rubrics will
standardize competency expectations to ensure reliability among
evaluators statewide. He said that while no testing platform is
perfect, he is confident that the Mississippi PBAs will be just as
reliable and valid as the MS-CPAS2 currently being used.
Teachers, test coordinators, and students alike are anxiously
awaiting the first statewide performance testing for Mississippi.
Certainly kinks will have to be worked out, said Owen, but all
parties involved seem to think this approach to assessment will
bring better achievement scores and testing experiences for
students. Once the data is collected from this first round of testing
in April, Owen and his team will evaluate what improvements
are needed and determine a timeline to bring PBA to students in
other CTE programs.
For more information on PBA in Mississippi, contact Ashley
Brown at ashley.brown@rcu.msstate.edu.
Connections Spring 2013 5

nontraditional pathways

students and teachers defy stereotypes to
prepare mississippiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s future
By Heather Wainwright

Many people are surprised to encounter a male nurse caring
for a patient at the hospital, or to see a female automotive
technician servicing cars, and several people may even take a
second glance when a female engineer achieves a high-ranking
executive position at a Fortune 500 company. However, in
career and technical education programs across Mississippi,
interested students are encouraged to consider and pursue
nontraditional careers. As defined by the Carl D. Perkins Career
and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2006 (Perkins
IV), nontraditional occupations are those for which individuals
from one gender comprise less than 25% of the individuals
employed in that field. At a time when many U.S. employers
are struggling to find qualified applicants, Perkins IV provides
states incentives to devise and implement plans in their CTE
programs to balance the numbers of male and female students
in their classes. These incentives send a message at the national
level that, irrespective of gender, all CTE students are prepared
for employment in high-skill, high-wage, or high-demand
occupations and/or postsecondary education.
While the definition of nontraditional courses and careers
applies to fields where either men or women are less than
25% of the students or employees, it is important to note
that in many cases, women are particularly

underrepresented in pathways that lead to highpaying, high-skill, high-demand fields. A March

2013 report from the National Coalition of Women and Girls
in Education and the National Coalition on Women, Jobs and
Job Training offers a striking comparison that illustrates this
phenomenon. Girls at the secondary level represent 70% of the
students enrolled in the Human Services cluster, which trains
them for typically female-dominated, low-paying fields, such
as cosmetology or childcare. Meanwhile, only 15% of secondary
students in the Architecture and Construction cluster, which
trains for male-dominated, higher paying jobs, such as energy
technician and electrician, are female. That female-dominated

6

Connections Spring 2013

jobs remain a preponderance of the low-paying, low-skill jobs
in the U.S. is at the core of the gender gap in both education and
employment in this country.
For several years, Mississippi has taken head-on the challenge
to improve nontraditional-student recruitment, retention, and
completion. According to Student Services Program Supervisor
Gail Simmons, the Mississippi Department of Education Office
of Career and Technical Education supports nontraditional
programs statewide in accordance with Perkins IV. The CTE
legislation includes a mandate to states to fund programming
that targets nontraditional students and promotes their access
to CTE. Simmons described multiple venues that the MDE
offers to provide this support to Mississippiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s schools. First,
training for high school student services coordinators includes
nontraditional-related concerns. In addition, coordinators may
apply to the Office of CTE for $650 minigrants, which may be
used to advocate for nontraditional students and/or to promote
nontraditional programs. Simmons explained that the grants
address two main objectives: (a) to recruit nontraditional
students through efforts that overcome traditional genderbiased barriers regarding course and career choices and (b) to
help retain nontraditional students so that they are able to
complete their programs and successfully pursue careers and/
or postsecondary education.
The MDE Office of CTE began awarding these minigrants
during the 2005-2006 school year, and since then, according
to Mike Mulvihill, MDE bureau director, the state has annually
exceeded its federally determined core indicators in terms of
students who are enrolled in and who complete nontraditional
CTE courses. Mulvihill reported for the 2011-2012 school
year that 19.5% of the students enrolled in secondary CTE
courses were nontraditional, and 19.4% of the completers
were nontraditional, compared to the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s benchmark
goals of 16.9% and 14.9% for those populations, respectively.
Both Simmons and Mulvihill attribute this multiyear trend

nontraditional pathways

feature

for the day in the CTE classrooms, where they all participate
in typical course activities, including a take-home project. The
event culminates in a luncheon prepared by the high school
and Horizon Culinary Arts students, a keynote speaker, class
presentations, the superintendent’s CTE month proclamation,
and an award ceremony. This best-practice, strategic approach
to recruiting eighth graders and retaining high school CTE
students acknowledges the benefit of hands-on experience and
cross-curriculum collaboration. This event makes strides to
not only promote nontraditional opportunities for male and
female students, but also to bolster students’ self-confidence,
celebrating their leadership, communication, team-building,
and public-speaking skills.

of annually exceeding nontraditional-student recruitment
and completion goals to the minigrants and the impetus they
provide to schools to create and sustain programs that support
students in CTE no matter what pathway they choose.
Simmons has been impressed with the innovative and successful
ways CTE centers have put their minigrants to use. For example,
Susan Hutto and Beverly Baker, student services coordinators
at Wayne County Career and Technical Center, use their grant
funds to acknowledge each year’s nontraditional students in
several ways, including T-shirts, newspaper features, an awards
program, and recognition during recruitment tours of the CTE
facility for middle and high schoolers. Hutto said they also use
the funds to award a $300 scholarship to one nontraditional
student who plans to go to college.
Each February, A. P. Fatheree Jones County Career and
Technical Center uses its minigrant to offer the Horizons
Unlimited program, a CTE exploration day for eighth graders
interested in nontraditional careers and who compete in
an essay contest to participate in the event. Technology
Foundations teachers from the center’s three feeder schools
each select 13 students (males for Health Science, Business
Computer Technology, and Culinary Arts; females for Drafting,
Welding, Automotive Service Technology, and Collision
Repair) for the experience based on their essays, citizenship,
attitude, and work ethic. On the day of the event, selected
students are assigned a high school-student mentor to shadow

CTE programs in Mississippi aim to successfully educate and
train a qualified workforce, helping students connect school to
careers and lifelong learning. In the process of meeting these
goals, some schools are dedicating concerted efforts to provide
equal and ample opportunities for male and female students
to explore and learn any career that interests them. Programs
like Wayne County’s nontraditional-student recognition
activities and A. P. Fatheree’s Horizons Unlimited mentoring
event answer the call-to-action to provide gender equity
in CTE. Filling the gender gap, where both male and female
students are provided equal opportunities to master mid- to
high-level skills in order to qualify for and fill careers that
are in high demand and that provide higher pay can help us
fill the skills gap that employers decry. As Stephanie Parsons,
a nontraditional polymer science instructor, summarized,

"Companies concerned with the bottom line
will look for the best and the brightest and
overlook gender." Along with a number of approaches to

address the skills gap ongoing nationwide, including President
Obama’s blueprint to improve career and technical education
in order to educate and train a skilled workforce, support of
nontraditional programs should continue to be a priority in
Mississippi.
For more information about the minigrant program available
from the Office of Career and Technical Education, contact
Gail Simmons, gsimmons@mde.k12.ms.us.

Nontraditional Teachers on the Frontline

Along with the student services coordinators, CTE teachers
are instrumental in recruiting and retaining students for their
programs. When a CTE teacher is nontraditional, however, he
or she can make all the difference in students’ perspectives and

choices. As a real-life example of nontraditional career success,
such a teacher can inspire both boys and girls to consider as
viable options for themselves any occupations outside the
typical, gender-based choices. Additionally, witnessing their
own teachers defying stereotypes helps reshape students’
expectations of which careers are appropriate and achievable,
allowing them to forgo limitations based on gender in order to
pursue whatever pathways truly inspire them to stay in school,
graduate, and either find jobs or continue their education.
One such nontraditional teacher is Parsons, who started her
first job as an electronics technician building super computers
at age 15 and who is now the polymer science instructor at
Alcorn Career and Technology Center. She regards her multiple
degrees and combined work experience both in electronics and
education as invaluable to her teaching approach. “Facing
challenges associated with being nontraditional has given
me the experience to recognize that the need for skilled
workers is the priority [in industry] as opposed to what is or
is not traditional.” Following Parsons’ open-minded approach,
students in her class “are allowed to set aside former concerns
about traditional roles and pursue careers of their choice,”
which she expects is liberating for them. In fact, Parsons
considers her position as a nontraditional teacher, a woman
teaching an engineering-based science, as an opportunity to
“provide students a working model of possibilities regardless
of roles.”
Angel Sarich, a first-year automotive service technology
instructor at South Panola Career and Technology Center,
explained that she pursued automotive technology thanks
to a high school teacher who suggested that her interest in
computers would be well-suited to his automotive course and
the specialized computing involved. Indeed, he was correct; she
was hooked. "I chose this because it's my passion;

it's what I love; it's what I want to do. I'm not
out to prove a point," she said about her career path from

automotive technician to service manager and now to teacher.
Sarich also believes being a female teacher in a traditionally
male-dominated field will help her recruit female students.
While she has only one female student this year, she hopes to
have several next year because, as she has become more well-

known at the center and high school, more female students
have expressed interest in and a willingness to enroll in her
class. “Word is getting out that girls can do it, too.”
Sunja Douglas, engineering and robotics instructor at Choctaw
County Career and Technology Center, makes it a priority
to encourage her students, both male and female, to pursue
engineering fields. “I’ve never been traditional, and in my mind,
women and men have a place in pretty much every field there
is,” she asserted. In turn, with Douglas as their teacher, her female
students witness firsthand her dedication and success, and they
gain confidence that they, too, can do engineering and robotics
work. Meanwhile, her male students gain a level of comfort and
familiarity working with both a female engineering teacher and
female classmates who share similar interests. Douglas agrees
with the idea that as more people are encouraged to pursue
and fill positions in nontraditional fields, the less often genderbased stereotypes will interfere with students’ pathways to career
and college. She believes there are opportunities to pursue any
career for young adults who are willing to work hard. Lack of
motivation, said Douglas, not gender, is the main reason students
fail to enter the workforce prepared to fill the positions available.
Picayune Vocational Center Health Science instructor Todd
Smith, a 17-year veteran nurse and now first-year teacher,
advises all his students to “not let their gender affect their
decision” when they are considering what career pathway to
pursue. Smith followed his own advice. After a couple years
of halfheartedly studying engineering in college, a trip to the
emergency room with his father—and seeing a few male nurses
working on the floor that day—opened his eyes to the world of
medical assessment and diagnosis. “It was at that point that a
career in nursing became my goal.” As our economy grows more
and more service oriented, Smith believes, both male and female
students in CTE classes will gain skills that “will help them find
gainful employment upon graduation and, at the same time,
help them pursue higher education in whatever career pathway
they choose.” For Smith, students’ ability to acquire technical
skills in their fields, the key to their being successful in school
and work, need be based only on students’ interests and goals,
not their respective genders. “You have to be happy with what
you’re doing in life, or you will be miserable,” he said.

Order Up! cross-curriculum cte fundraising
event serves tasty meals to the public
In November 2012 and again in February 2013, the School of Career and Technical
Education at New Albany High School held “Order Up!” This take-out and dine-in food
enterprise involved all CTE programs in various parts of the planning, preparation,
and execution. The event not only raised funds to support the participating programs,
but it also showcased the school’s CTE facilities and activities.

8

Connections Spring 2013

iPAD APPS

5 FREE iPAD apps to use in the classroom
Teacherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
assistant pro

gflashpro

This app is focused on
content. It has downloadable
quizzes, test ideas, flash cards,
and inspiration for subject
areas. gFlashPro will also
track progress.

This app is used
to track student
behaviors and
achievements.
It allows easy
documentation
in real time.
The reports
can be e-mailed
to a parent or
administrator with
just a click, and it
can meet all your
organizational
needs.

world book - this day in history
This app has all 365 days of the year, showing
important world events, births, deaths, and so forth for
each day. This is a great tool for student engagement
not only in history class but also in other subject areas.

Free books
This app has 23,469 books that
can be downloaded for absolutely
free. Its lot includes classic
novels, autobiographies, speeches,
philosophy, and even Shakespeare.

dropbox

Dropbox allows users to store
files and access them from
any device as well as easily and
privately share those files with
others.
Connections Spring 2013 9

bright futures

energy technology pilot introduces high
school students to energy careers
By Alexis Nordin

Robert Ordahl sees limitless possibilities unfolding for his
Energy Technology students, who are exploring a career path
with the potential to take them around the world.

Ordahl, a retired U.S. Air Force electronics technician and now
instructor at Pascagoula’s Vocational Technical Center, is one
of three high school career and technical education teachers
across Mississippi wrapping up the first year of a new Energy
Technology pilot curriculum launched by the Mississippi
Department of Education in 2012. Other instructors piloting
the program include Robert Alford of the Lawrence County
Technology and Career Center in Monticello and Bruce Lampe
of the Lamar County Center for Technical Education in Purvis.

The three schools that have piloted the program were
selected partly based on their proximity to energy-technology
employers, said LeAnn Miller, an instructional design specialist
at Mississippi State University’s Research and Curriculum Unit.
She noted that other high schools have expressed interest and
are awaiting the results of the MDE’s evaluation of the pilot.
Miller worked closely with MDE STEM Program Supervisor
Kendra Taylor, who oversaw the implementation of the pilot.

Ordahl teaches 31 of the 61 students currently enrolled in the
program across the state. His students’ favorite project thus
far has been creating generators with tape, wire, and magnets,
which the students spin by hand to illuminate a small flashlight
bulb. Meanwhile, Ordahl’s enjoyment comes from watching his
students overcome what he describes as a “where do we plug it
in?” mentality about energy—a sweet reward for an educator
who left retirement and earned his teaching certification after
discovering a love for teaching basic electronics to Air Force
personnel. “I didn’t think I wanted to be a teacher, but once I got

"There are not a lot of states with energy
curricula—this is fairly new," Miller said. The

Energy Technology pilot is a collaborative effort led by the
Mississippi Energy Workforce Consortium and the MDE under
guidelines established by the Center for Energy and Workforce
Development. Educators, industry experts, and curriculum
specialists in Mississippi adapted the program for Mississippi’s
students with help from the Florida Energy Workforce Consortium,
which implemented a similar program two years ago.
Miller believes Mississippi is well positioned to take a national
lead in energy technology, noting that in addition to housing
Grand Gulf, one of the largest single-unit nuclear power plants
in the world, “We’ve got excellent community college programs
that prepare students for this field.” The Jackson County campus
of Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College in Gautier, for
example, has a new instrumentation lab with equipment provided
by Mississippi Power. In the lab, students use the same equipment
currently utilized by industry professionals in the field.
Now, students at the high school level can also explore the
world of opportunities awaiting them in energy technology.
Eventually, Miller hopes students’ Energy Technology classes
will articulate into college credit, better preparing them for
college admissions boards and local employment opportunities.
High school students enrolled in Energy Technology follow a
two-year program. The first year focuses on the basics of energy
generation, industry regulations, major employers, and both

Jones County class project now a state-fair event
To teach about small engines, the Agriculture and Mechanics programs from Jones County high
schools found an old garden tractor for their students to refurbish, providing them a hands-on,
real-life way to acquire necessary skills. When the work was done, the teachers organized a
tractor pull. What started off three years ago as a small, community event with only six tractors
has expanded to multiple venues throughout the state, including the Jackson State Fair last
October where 78 tractors competed. For more information, visit www.jcatstractorpulling.com.
10 Connections Spring 2013

BRIGHT FUTURES

feature

listing engineers, line workers, plant technicians, distribution
technicians, and chemists as needed professionals in the state.
Political and industry leaders agree that a trained energy
workforce is critical now more than ever, with President Obama
recently proposing to take $2 billion from oil and gas royalties
to fund the nation’s clean-energy research and Governor Bryant
making energy a priority for Mississippi when he unveiled his
Energy Works campaign in 2012.

traditional and emerging energy technologies. The second
year highlights alternative sources for energy, such as wind,
solar, nuclear, and biomass technology. Upon completion of
the program, students may take an exam to earn an Energy
Industry Fundamentals Certification from the Center for
Energy and Workforce Development, opening the door to more
opportunities once students enter college or the workforce,
according to Miller.
Miller enjoyed developing the Energy Technology curriculum,
saying, “I think the best part has been the contact and
communication between industry and teachers because we
brought them together.” In fact, this pilot involved quite a lot of
collaboration: Scott Strahan of Mississippi Power, Lonell Huff
of Entergy, Sumesh Arora of Strategic Biomass Solutions, and
Craig Eichelkraut of Alstom, along with the three teachers, met
together to produce a program that is as realistic as possible,
showing students what they can expect in various real-world
energy careers.
Miller noted that John Wheeler of Entergy and Ann Holland
of Mississippi Power, both serving on the Mississippi Energy
Workforce Consortium, pushed especially hard for the program
in Mississippi’s high schools and consulted with the RCU
throughout implementation.
Companies like Entergy and Mississippi Power are responding
to an anticipated shortage of professional and skilled workers
expected to hit the energy industry in the next 5 to 10 years,
as aging energy workers prepare for retirement and employers
scramble to find qualified replacements. “We are kind of in
a bubble with our aging workforce, and so we have got to get
kids interested in the energy field,” said Holland, a community
development specialist at Mississippi Power, which employs
over 1,200 workers in southeast Mississippi.
Mississippi Power seeks to educate not only Mississippi’s
students about the career opportunities in the energy field,
but also their parents, career counselors, and educators.
“There is such a wide variety of jobs available,” said Holland,

Miller noted that Energy Technology graduates who
immediately enter the workforce may have a better chance
than their untrained peers of securing apprenticeships or entrylevel positions as natural gas mechanics, crew assistants, meter
technicians, and maintenance electrical operators. Ideally,
however, she hopes that students who complete the Energy
Technology curriculum in high school will continue their
training at a community college or university, enabling them
to qualify for higher level, higher paying starting positions
in the energy field. “Once they get to the community college,
they are going to be aware of what’s available as far as energy
is concerned,” Holland stressed. "Not everyone has to

have that four-year degree. With a technical
degree, you can do just as well." Ordahl noted that
companies like Chevron and Ingalls Shipbuilding also offer
educational-assistance programs that help students receive
postsecondary education and training.

About the pilot program, Ordahl believes it expands
opportunities for his students by shifting the focus from the
“nitty-gritty” of instruments and controls to a “bigger, broader
picture” of how energy is found and channeled at local and
global levels. Still, the initiative has not been without hiccups.
He would like some modifications to the curriculum—such as
less “book work” and more hands-on activities—but said that
overall his students seem to enjoy the material. “I can draw a lot
on my experience being in the service and dealing with power
companies over in Germany, over in England, here in America,”
Ordahl said. “When we have a lightning storm down here, I
can tie it in with what happens when one side of our city loses
power. How can we reroute power?” Ordahl is also considering
converting his own home to solar energy, offering interesting
talking points for students.
Miller and Holland welcome educators’ feedback. Holland
said Mississippi Power is committed to building a stronger
workforce in Mississippi and to helping educational initiatives
like the Energy Technology pilot succeed. “We see [the need
for a more skilled workforce], and we as a company want to
be in the communities and just let them know that we do care
because their students, their kids are our future workforce,” said
Holland. “We hope that more schools will jump on board.”
With a first-year pilot underway, the groundwork for the
Energy Technology program is in place. If adopted statewide,
the program will help provide bright futures for Mississippi’s
students who pursue careers in this dynamic, worldwide field.
For more information about the Energy Technology curriculum,
contact LeAnn Miller, leann.miller@rcu.msstate.edu.
Connections Spring 2013 11

Connecting high school to college at
Brookhaven Technical Center
Rusty Sprague, a junior at Brookhaven High School and
Technical Center, is excited about his automotive service
technology class that is helping him reach his ultimate career
goal of becoming a respected technician. Before he finishes high
school, Sprague will have earned a semester of college credit
from Copiah-Lincoln Community College and will be able to
sign ASE after his name to indicate he has earned national
credentials by passing the Automotive Service of Excellence
examination.
“My goal is to become an auto or diesel mechanic, and this class
in high school is making it possible for me to earn college and
high school credit at the same time for free.” When he goes to
college, as Sprague enthusiastically expressed, “I’ll be ready to
take more advanced classes at the Copiah-Lincoln campus and
will have already earned a semester of college credit. So, I will
pay for three semesters of college instead of four.”
The dual-credit course is a result of a partnership between
Copiah-Lincoln Community College, Brookhaven Technical
Center, and the Mississippi Department of Education’s Office
of Career and Technical Education. This is the first year the
Brookhaven School District has offered dual-credit through its
automotive technology class, giving students the opportunity
to earn both high school and college credit in a single course.
As Brookhaven’s career and technical education director Jackie
Martin explained, offering opportunities for dual credit is one
way that the district and state are working together to foster
student engagement and achievement through CTE.
“This dual-credit partnership is possible because Lisa
Karmacharya, our superintendent; Gail Baldwin, the dean
of CTE at Copiah-Lincoln; along with Jean Massey, the
state’s associate superintendent of CTE education; and Mike
Mulvihill, bureau director for the state’s Office of CTE, were all
willing to sit down and work out the details like course coding,
student identification, course and instructor payment, and
credit transfers,” explained Martin. “As a result of their hard
work and collaboration, this is the first year that our students
are taking the national ASE test instead of the state MS-CPAS2
assessment that measures student achievement.”
Automotive centers across the nation recognize the ASE Blue
Seal of Excellence achievement. Therefore, acquiring the
national ASE certification in high school means that Sprague
will graduate with a diploma and a stackable credential that
immediately makes him more marketable in the workplace.
12 Connections Spring 2013

“Business and industry have all been practically begging for
better technicians because they have a responsibility to the
public to have a mechanic that can perform the duties correctly
the first time,” said Blake Oberschmidt, instructor for CopiahLincoln automotive technology program. "We're giving

these [students] a jumpstart on their careers
and instead of two years of experience, they're
going to get four."

Oberschmidt teaches the class during the morning block at
the Brookhaven Technical Center. During the first semester,
students can earn seven college-credit hours, and if they enroll
in the second semester, they can earn up to a total of 16 credit
hours—the equivalent of taking one semester of classes at the
community college.
“From the beginning, Co-Lin and Brookhaven School District
have worked with local business and industry leaders, obtaining
feedback and support from the automotive industry. These
leaders are eager for skilled employees at every level of their
operations,” offered Gail Baldwin, dean of career, technical and
workforce education at Copiah-Lincoln Community College.
“Students enrolled in this dual-credit automotive program
will obtain classroom and laboratory experience that may also
lead to summer work experience while reinforcing academic
skills. As students are better prepared with academic and
technical skills along with a stronger work ethic, Mississippi
and America’s workforce will benefit.”
According to the report “Dual Credit and Exam-Based Courses
in U.S. Public High Schools: 2010-11” about a study conducted
by the National Center for Education Statistics, Sprague and
James Dawson are two of 600,000 students in the nation
pursuing dual credit through CTE-college partnerships. And
like many of their college counterparts, Sprague and Dawson
carry college-student credentials that give them access to the
college library, bookstore, computer labs, and athletic and art
events on the Co-Lin campus, and in the future, they hope, to
the job of their choice.

Connecting core academics with CTE at
McKellar Technology Center
Melanie Ford teaches Health Science I and II at the McKellar
Technology Center in Columbus. She is the first CTE teacher
ever to earn the Columbus Municipal School District’s Teacher
of the Year Award. Ford earned this recognition because she
and Laurie Davis, McKellar’s CTE counselor, worked together
to develop the course Medical Technology III that bridges the
educational gap between high school and college.

DUAL CREDIT BRIDGES GAPS

“We realized during their sophomore and junior years, our
students were taking the two levels of classes that teach the basics
of health sciences, but during their senior year, we didn’t have
an advanced class to help them continue their forward progress
into a job or a college health profession program,” explained
Ford. “Veterinary school, nursing school, physical therapy, and
radiologic technology programs have high entrance standards,
yet our seniors were missing a whole year where they could take
advantage of making themselves more competitive.”
Ford witnessed disappointment after disappointment when
students earned low ACT scores that denied them entrance
into a college program. After conducting and reading student
surveys to learn what course the students really wanted to take
during their senior year, Ford created the Medical Technology
III health professions class with three components to help place
students in a job or a college health-science program. The first
component is aimed at improving ACT scores.
“We help them raise their ACT scores. Even if they decide
they don’t want to pursue health education after high school,
a higher ACT score would help them no matter their major,”
offered Ford. “We conduct ACT remediation, where the
students practice with online ACT test software that provides
diagnostics of areas where improvement is needed. Then we
have subject-area teachers help them sharpen their skills.
We give pre- and post-tests, and some of these students have
improved their ACT scores by seven points,” said Ford.

feature

The second component of the course is a dual-credit program.
The students will earn credit for college-level Anatomy and
Physiology I and II, which means Ford, a CTE instructor, is
going above and beyond the call of duty facilitating and being
a mentor to the students in the Medical Technology III class
because the curriculum is core, academic-based rather than
CTE-focused. Nonetheless, it was Ford and Davis, the CTE
teacher and counselor, who collaborated with the district and
with East Mississippi Community College to offer Anatomy
and Physiology I and II classes online, giving their high school
students the chance to earn dual credit. Ford, also a registered
nurse, stays late and facilitates the two-hour class in the
afternoons at the McKellar Center.

"If you are going into the healthcare field, you
have to have Anatomy and Physiology I and
II. We thought what better way to bridge the
gap between high school and college academics
than to offer our students a chance to take
these college classes for free here at the high
school," said Ford.
“We have 12 seniors enrolled, and all want to pursue some
form of health science after high school,” said Davis. “Most of
our students come from families of extreme poverty, so many
of them cannot afford the transportation, books, or online fees
to take a college course. In fact, many of their role models and
parents have never set foot in a college classroom or even on a

AT&T Aspire Mentoring Program helps Moss
Point students graduate career ready
Moss Point CTE students on the Education STEM team had the opportunity
to be among the first students to participate in the Aspire Mentoring Program
in Ocean Springs. AT&T sponsored the program in an effort to help improve
graduation rates. While job shadowing, students learned about their mentors’
life and career skills. Moss Point students also participated in project-based
activities and a résumé-writing contest.
Connections Spring 2013 13

feature

DUAL CREDIT BRIDGES GAPS

campus, so they have no resources to help them navigate through
the college experience, let alone the entrance requirements. This
program gives them the opportunity and a person they can rely
on to help them become college and/or career ready.”
Senior Taylor Woods is enrolled in the A&P II online class. She
and her 11 classmates gave up their senior privilege of early
release from school to take this Medical Technology III class
each afternoon.
“I have plans to become a physical therapist. My parents never
went to college. I’ll be a first-generation college student and
college graduate. I never dreamed of going to college
before this class. I didn’t think I could do it, but with Ms.
Ford’s encouragement and help of raising my ACT scores and
then showing me I could earn college credit after completing
my first A&P class, I found out I could handle college.”
For many students, the soaring cost of college has put a
postsecondary education out of reach. Woods said the free
college credits she is earning now while in high school will help
her pay for college, along with the third component of the class,
earning a Certified Nursing Assistant license. The prerequisites
of completing the Health Sciences I and II courses and labs
combined with the med-tech III class and lab components qualify
the students to earn a CNA license. The national certification
will give Woods an edge over other job candidates in the labor
market. This stackable credential also will help her find a job
that will help pay for her associate degree and provide valuable
on-the-job experience, and she can use it as a stepping stone to
continue her education, if she chooses, at a four-year institution.

“East Mississippi Community College has been great in helping
us set up this agreement and online class to meet all of our
students’ needs. This is our first year, and last semester, all 12 of
my seniors in the class earned an A or a B average for the A&P
I course. We’re on track to do the same for the level-two class,”
said Ford. “These students are learning good study habits and
time-management and technology skills. I think they realize
that when they go to college, they are on their own, and so
they are learning all they can now to set themselves up for a
successful future.”
The student online registration, tuition, lab fees, books, and CNA
certifications are paid for by the Columbus Municipal School
District. EMCC provides the online access and instructor for the
A&P dual-credit classes at no cost to the district or students.
Brookhaven and Columbus School Districts’ academic and CTE
educators are working together to blend strong academic courses
with demanding, high-tech CTE classes with the goal of linking
them to real-world experiences and to relevant, valuable college
credit and career preparation. Soon, experts predict the school
systems that put students’ needs first will be the ones that are
successfully closing the work-skills gap, reducing remediation
costs for both school districts and employers and preparing our
next generation for the demands of a new economy.
For more information about how to build a dual-credit,
CTE-focused program at your school, contact Jean Massey at
jmassey@mde.k12.ms.us or Mike Mulvihill at mmulvihill@
mde.k12.ms.us.

Polymer Science winners: $10K research
grant and science-fair success
The Polymer Science program at Hattiesburg High School won a Vernier 30th
Anniversary Grant of $10,000 for their football helmet project. By testing
polymers in the outer shell and padding from foam inserts and then performing
impact tests, the students were able to determine the best combination of
materials to protect players. Also, like HHS alumnus DeAndre Stafford-May,
polymer science student Chris Jenkins placed at the USM regional science and
engineering fair, allowing him to compete at the state and international fairs.
14 Connections Spring 2013

ways to promote cte
5 FREE ways to promote CTE at the local level

powerpoint
Use the Pathways to Success
slideshow that promotes
bridging academics with CTE
at meetings for civic groups,
parent-teacher organizations,
businesses, and industry and at
elementary and middle school
open houses. (Download at
www.rcu.msstate.edu.)

local radio
Request radioshow host/
producer to
interview student
and director
during morning
drive time to
promote the
value of a CTE
education.

local tv
Request news director to send
reporter to interview a student about
his or her CTE success story and
how the value of a CTE education
is making an impact on his or her
future.

sporting events

Have announcer read a public service
announcement promoting CTE during halftime and time outs.
Resize one of the generic Pathways to Success
banners and place as an ad in junior and high
school game programs. (Download at
www.rcu.msstate.edu.)

Newspaper
Request news editor to send
reporter to cover a CTE student
success story and how the value
of a CTE education is making an
impact on his or her future.
Connections Spring 2013 15

Education:
Joyce: Blue Mountain College, BS in social studies and educational
handicapped
Robert: University of Mississippi, BS in business administration and
BS in education with an emphasis in mild/moderate disabilities

Years as an educator:
Joyce: I taught special education for 20 years and have been a student
service coordinator for 10 years.
Robert: I have been a student service coordinator four of my five
years in the teaching profession.

What brought you to the career?
Joyce: My love for family life is mainly why I chose teaching as a profession. I knew the profession would allow me to spend

a lot of time with my family. I also enjoy helping people and knew that teaching would be a good way to reach out to others.
I can never remember a time when I wanted to do anything other than teach school.

Robert: After 28 years of working in the business profession, I felt like I needed a change. My wife suggested a teaching

career. I wasn't sure if teaching was for me, so I subbed for a week at an alternative school and realized that teaching would
be a rewarding profession.

What is the best advice you've ever received?
Joyce: To love each child as if he or she was my own and to treat them like I would want someone to treat my own child.
You never know what a child is going through, and a little kindness may be all it takes to get that child through the day.
Robert: I try to live by the verse "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Most of the time, you get respect by
following this advice. It goes a long way in preventing conflict and creating a good working atmosphere. At least you know
you have done your best, and that goes a long way when working with students and coworkers.

What is your favorite memory from student services?
Joyce: If I have to pick just one, it would be the time I helped a student pass a state test and the excitement felt by the
student and myself the day the results came back with a passing score. The student had failed the test on numerous
occasions. Experiences like this just makes it all worthwhile.
Robert: Every year we give a scholarship to a nontraditional student. One particular student was so thankful when he
received this scholarship. He even came back the next year and thanked me. This particular student visits the center often
and never fails to mention how much he appreciated the scholarship. Situations like this just keep me excited about my job.

How do your students inspire you?

Joyce: Since my job requires me to work with all students at our career center, the students inspire me to work harder every
year. I never feel like I know enough. Even when the day ends, I feel the need to spend time researching or finding resources
for students. Also, I am inspired to learn all about technology since my students are so good in this area.
Robert: I enjoy watching students as they prepare for the future. I spend a lot of time helping students with their career
choices. I get excited when I see them decide on a career and start planning their future. It inspires me when I see students
achieve their goal.

16 Connections Spring 2013

EDUCATOR PROFILE

feature

What advice do you have for new student services coordinators?

Joyce: Be willing to be very flexible and patient. You never know what you will be doing; it changes some days from moment
to moment. Learn to be a good communicator not only with your students, but with your coworkers, staff from feeder
schools, community, and college leaders. It also helps to be a good organizer; if not, the paperwork will overwhelm you. Last
but not least, have a lot of love for everyone.
Robert: You must be able to deal with all kinds of personalities since a student service coordinator works with all students.
If you don't love your students, you are in the wrong profession. See each child as different and be willing to do whatever it
takes to make their life better. Never give up until you have helped each student to achieve their goal.

How do you approach working as a team for your students?

Joyce: This job requires a lot of team effort. I try hard to be familiar with each person involved in my students' learning

process. Each day is filled with sending instant messages and e-mails, making phone calls, et cetera to individuals involved
with our vocational students. It is crucial to be a good team player, so I can advocate for my students.

Robert: Since my wife and I work together as student service coordinators, I realize that some students work better with my

wife and some work better with me. I work with students who need help in math, and she works with students in English and
literature. We complement each other in all areas of teaching, and this works to benefit our students.

What would your students be surprised to know about you?

Joyce: I love spending time with family and especially my grandchildren. My husband and I have six, one of which we
have never met because our daughter and her family are in China at the present time completing her adoption. Robert and
I spend every moment we can being involved in their lives. It is great to grow old because grandchildren are one of God's
greatest gifts in life.

Robert: A lot of people go to work every day just because it is their job but this is not really the case for me. I never dreamed that
my career life would involve teaching school! I believe that God has a plan for everyone and his plan for me at this time in my life
is to be working with youth. Not only am I involved with youth at school but my wife and I are the youth leaders at our church.

New approach to Teacher Academy piloted at Fallin
Career and Technology Center in Natchez
Fallin Career and Technology Center in Natchez has added Teacher Academy but with a twistâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;
ninth graders are allowed to enroll in the program. Shannon Doughty, FCTCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Teacher Academy
and Information Technology instructor who is leading the pilot, observed that even if the freshman
participants do not continue with Teacher Academy, they are bound to find something in the
building that interests them and that will keep them participating in CTE.
Connections Spring 2013 17

21st-century technology
for 21st-century students

madison county school district goes digital
By Heather Wainwright

Known as the Net Generation and the Touch Screen Generation,
both monikers for Generations Y and Z, young people in school
today have access to technology unlike any previous generation,
and not only do they have access to it, they use it frequently and
adeptly every day. For kids of all ages and at all socioeconomic
levels, technology is inseparably integrated into their lives. The
challenge for schools, where most young people spend a majority
of their time for at least nine months per year, is how to handle
this prevalence of technology and to help students understand
that it can be useful for more than merely social media and Web
browsing.

the BYOD policy, along with the other technology-committee
members from the district, including Superintendent McGehee,
Gavin Guynes, director of information management, and Reuben
Myers, systems administrator. She noted that the changes are
particularly dramatic because the MCSD had been one of only
two or three districts left in the state that had not yet adopted
any technology discovery or preparation classes. Now Madison
students will not only engage in technology discovery, they
will be using various devices to complete assignments, conduct
research, design and engineer projects, and even communicate
with their teachers, said Pigg.

Since his election in November 2011, Madison County School
District Superintendent Ronnie McGehee has focused on
that challenge. His answer has been to lead the MCSD, which
serves 12,000 students, from pilots to full implementation of
a district-wide technology overhaul. The digital conversion
has involved installing 32 new computer labs throughout the
district’s middle and high schools, implementing a bring-yourown-device (BYOD) policy for grades 6-12, adding Information
and Communication Technology (ICT) and STEM courses to
the middle school curricula, offering online courses, and hiring
teachers with Internet and Core Communication Certification
(IC3).

After the first semester, parents and students have expressed
their overwhelming approval of the BYOD policy and the other
technology changes in the district. In fact, McGehee noted that
many parents have commented to him that their children

McGehee described their approach as holistic, aligning not only
the monetary resources but also the availability of appropriate
faculty, support services, and infrastructure. To determine
the best technological investments for the district, the school
board implemented changes with itself first, putting all of its
communication and paperwork online. Processes certainly had
to be adjusted, from budget preparation and travel requests to
circulation of board meeting material. Nonetheless, this change
effectively facilitated the school board members’ understanding
of technology, its various applications, and the benefits of its use
in the district’s schools.
At the school level, the first step involved changes to instruction.
ICT1 and STEM courses were added to the middle school
curricula (ICT2 will be added in the 2013-2014 school year), and
instructors interested in teaching these classes were required
to become IC3 certified. McGehee said that the curriculum
changes were deliberately targeted to the middle grades, those
that bridge primary and secondary education, with the idea that
implementation could then more easily expand laterally in both
directions.
Betty Lou Pigg, director of instructional technology for the
district, has been instrumental in overseeing implementation of
the new curricula as well as the outfitting of the new labs and
directing the online school. She has also been closely monitoring
18 Connections Spring 2013

no longer respond with a pat, disinterested
"Nothing" when asked what they have learned at
school. Instead, the parents hear, "Oh, we built
robots today," or "I worked in SketchUp. Look
on my phone! I drew our house!" So enthusiastic are
the parents, in fact, that many purchased mobile devices for the
children as gifts for the holidays, so the students would have
them to use at school for the remainder of the school year.

k-12 technology usage
student mobile trends

34%

86%

of teenagers
own a tablet
computer

of teenagers
report that
they are likely
to purchase a
smartphone

Source: Piper Jaffray 23rd semiannual “Taking Stock With Teens”

21st-century technology for 21st-century students
While well-received, the BYOD
policy very explicitly designates the
use of mobile devices as a privilege
that is allowed during designated
times and places. If students do not
follow the guidelines, they lose the
privilege. McGehee believes that,
as educators, it is their charge to
teach young people how and when
to use technology responsibly.
“Yes, technology is the wave of the
future, but it can be a problem if it’s
not used appropriately,” he said.
Certainly, not all teachers have
actively implemented the use
of mobile devices in their classrooms; however, those who
have, according to Pigg, generate an excitement among their
students, who in turn look forward to being in their technologyfriendly classes. The buzz of student engagement in productive
classrooms has prompted the teachers who previously held
back on incorporating mobile devices as instructional tools to
reconsider, and more and more teachers, across all curricula,
are figuring out new ways to allow their students to use their
smartphones and tablets in class.
Sheila McGraw, a first-year STEM/ICT1 instructor at Olde Towne
Middle School, is one of the teachers who has wholeheartedly
embraced the new technology in the district. In fact, when she
learned about all the changes being implemented, she decided
to make the transition to teaching, after a six-year tenure
running her own computer consulting business and then nine
years working as a computer technician in the district. “The
curriculum inspired me because it matched my background so
well. I felt like it was created for me or that I had been preparing
for it before it even existed,” she explained.
McGraw intentionally operates her classroom—McGraw Labs—
like a business. Her “employees” sign in and out, develop logos
and slogans, communicate via e-mail daily, and participate in
“meetings” with their “coworkers.” As she described it, the ICT
and STEM curricula are about “preparing students to be successful
in the 21st-century workplace. We know what employers are
looking for. We know what the problems have been in the past
that kept students from being ready for careers. One answer to
solving these problems is introducing students to careers and
technology at a younger age.” Using hands-on, technologyoriented, project-based instruction, she said, encourages her

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students to actively contribute to what they are learning and
helps them prepare for whatever pathway they choose.
In districts where resources are limited, a BYOD policy may be a
viable option for increasing the use of technology without costly
upgrades or purchases of hardware. Doing so still requires an
investment: School infrastructures must be configured to create
network portals that can manage the traffic of multiple-platform,
Wi-Fi-enabled devices. However, the necessary equipment and
support is not as cost-prohibitive as computer labs or one-to-one
initiatives, making a BYOD plan potentially more manageable
for many districts with limited financial and personnel options.
McGehee does not consider the MCSD’s technology
transformation complete. As this year of full implementation is
nearing a close, they have discovered that many students who
live in more remote areas do not have broadband access at home,
so the district is considering a plan to address that problem by
providing laptops and tablets with network cards that can be
checked out to allow young people without personal devices to do
their homework online from home. They are also investigating
products, from Google Chromebooks to smartphones, as well as
options for expanding blended-learning opportunities.

Above all, McGehee believes that the district's
technology overhaul is absolutely not about
providing mere look-up devices; "we can do that
with a dictionary," he stated. Rather, as he defined it, the

district’s goal is to use technology to create content, to create
a product at the end. Whether that product is a robot, a CAD
drawing, or a lively discussion about World War II or Edgar Allan
Poe, to him, that end product is proof positive that technology
and education have successfully merged.
In light of the global ramifications of technology in all our
lives, McGehee acknowledged that students today must be able
to communicate anywhere, anytime, with anyone around the
world. He earnestly believes the MCSD is making strides to enable
their students to do just that, providing them an education that
equips them with relevant, in-demand 21st-century skills and
readies them for the workforce and postsecondary education.
When asked about the benefits of technology in education for
Mississippi, he cited a comment he heard recently: “Education is
the great disrupter of poverty,” thus in Mississippi, “if we have a
better-educated workforce, we’ll have less poverty.”
For more information about the MCSD’s technology efforts,
contact Betty Lou Pigg at blpigg@madison-schools.org.

Webster County students teach bus safety at area
elementary schools
During National School Bus Safety Week (October 22-26, 2012), Early Childhood Education
students at Webster County Career and Technology Center led “I See the Driver – The
Driver Sees Me!,” a bus safety workshop for kindergartners and first graders at Webster
County elementary schools. The ECE students helped the young children practice loading
and unloading a bus safely and learn a song specially written to help them remember
school bus safety and etiquette.

Connections Spring 2013 19

robot warriors

workshop entices schools into the worLd of
competitive robotics
By Alexis Nordin

Robots are invading Mississippi’s classrooms, thanks in part to the
Mississippi Department of Education.
On November 7, 2012, local teachers and students had the
opportunity to participate in a free robotics workshop in Raymond.
The workshop introduced participants to the Technology Student
Association-VEX Robotics Competition, a joint event organized
by TSA and the Robotics Education and Competition Foundation.
At the workshop, teams registered online for local TSA and VEX
competitions, learned about competition regulations, assembled and
programmed their robots with advice from seasoned competitors,
and took their robots on a test spin. The 2013 Mississippi TSA-VEX
state competition was held March 26-28 in Natchez.
The workshop was initiated by the MDE’s Kendra Taylor, the
MDE’s TSA State Advisor Shanta Villanueva, and the Newton
County Career and Technical Center’s Stacy Addy, an instructor
whose teams have competed at the national and world TSA-VEX
competitions in recent years.

explained. “The robots
will look so different, but
they’ll actually be able to
accomplish the same task.”
She added that students
must tackle problems
related to torque, gear
ratios, turning radius, and
weight distribution, as well
as master 21st-century
skills, including problem
solving and team building.
Addy has witnessed the
program lure students out of their shells and put them on an
international stage. At the 2012 world competition, Addy’s students
interacted with teams from across the globe. “It was wonderful.

We were sitting next to a group of kids from Saudi
Arabia. They taught my students a lot, and I think
Many of the students who participate in VEX are enrolled in one my students taught them a lot," she said.
of the 28 engineering programs offered by career and technical
education programs statewide. In VEX, Taylor said she purposely
sought out a competition that would encourage students to join
TSA and reinforce the curriculum, yet be cost effective and feasible
for teachers and students as young as sixth graders. "I wanted a

robotics program that would be an integral part of
the curriculum, much as our student organizations
are," said Taylor, program supervisor for technology education
and the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics cluster
in the MDE’s Office of Career and Technical Education. “I didn’t
want it to be something that would be cumbersome for them.”

Taylor and Addy said VEX has some advantages over other robotics
competitions, such as BEST and FIRST. VEX offers students a long
building time, and other organizations, such as scouting clubs, 4-H
clubs, and parent groups, may also sponsor teams. VEX participants
also pay lower entry fees and may recycle elements of previous
years’ robots to fit new challenges—a big benefit for cost-conscious
administrators.

Taylor said Mississippi’s VEX program has exploded due to student
demand. Mississippi offered its first VEX event in 2011, with only
a handful of teams competing. In 2013, 41 teams registered in five
competitions held around the state, and Addy received inquiries
from nearby states. To support the burgeoning interest, the Robotics
Education and Competition Foundation gave a $5,000 grant for
the November workshop, and the Northrup Grumman Foundation
provided 12 grants of $1,000 each to local teams, covering most of
their hardware expenses.
Addy notes that students who get involved in robotics early often
want to continue competing in college, and Taylor has seen rising
interest from VEX competitors in mechanical engineering careers.
For Addy, robotics exposes students to hands-on extracurricular
options for those who “don’t know where they fit in. It shows the
students what else is out there besides playing football, baseball,
or basketball.” Taylor’s focus is on life skills. "We hope that

even if they decide they're not going to go into
engineering, they will still be able to pick up on
In the TSA-VEX robotics competitions, teams of up to 10 students those other skills and utilize them in any type of
purchase robotics kits, assemble them, and compete at local degree they decide to pursue," she said.
qualifying events for a chance to move to the world championship.
This year, the competition theme was based on a game called “Sack
Attack,” in which robots maneuvered around a foam mat during
two-minute scrimmages, collecting small sacks and depositing
them into goals at various heights. The aim was for the robots to
score as many points as possible without tipping over or getting
sacks jammed beneath their wheels.

Nowadays, Taylor and Addy are happily overrun by whirring
robots and chattering students. They welcome anyone interested
in robotics to drop by or volunteer for a local VEX event. No
experience is necessary, and new recruits are quickly hooked. It
seems that once students set foot into the world of competitive
robotics, the battle is already won.

Taylor emphasized that VEX leaves plenty of room for students’
creativity and customization. “It’s not a cookie-cutter model,” she

For more information about VEX competitions or the engineering
curriculum, contact Myra Pannell, myra.pannell@rcu.msstate.edu.

20 Connections Spring 2013

student profile: LEXI delmas
Wayne County Career and Technology Center

What is your year in school? Freshman
Why did you want to start a recycling program at
your school? Why would I, a 14-year-old girl, want to start a recycling

program? I want to go green. I want the word green to mean something in
Wayne County. I don't want our oceans, rivers, and landfills covered with
things that could be reused. I want there to be a beautiful earth for my
great-grandkids just like there is for me.

What did you do to get the program started? I told my
STEM teacher, Ms. Rawson, about my idea. She told me that it was a good
idea, so Ms. Rawson, our first-block class, and I took the idea to our CTE
director, Mr. Jones. He gave us permission, and it started from there. Mr.
Jones and Ms. Rawson assisted me in contacting Mr. Bidmer Ray Walker at
Wayne County Patrol, which deals with environmental issues. He supplied
us with recycling bins and some stickers. We then made some posters to encourage everyone's participation.
What are the benefits of your program? The benefit of recycling is to make our earth cleaner where you won't see as
much recyclable trash in our landfills, oceans, and rivers. I think it's a huge benefit for our earth to be a cleaner place.

How does your recycling program relate to your CTE courses? We were going over the three Rsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;reduce,
reuse, recycle. I was wondering why we didn't have a recycling program. In my first-block STEM class, we were studying about
sustainable design and technology. This involves evaluating common products that we use, and the positive or negative effects of
those products on the environment. We evaluated our personal lifestyles to see if they were representing sustainable or wasteful
lifestyles. I decided to design a recycling plan for the CTE center. My friends then joined in the effort to get started, with the help
of my teacher.
How did you encourage your peers and teachers to participate? I asked them if they go to the beach. They all

said yes. So then I asked if they would be disgusted if they were swimming and all of a sudden a big pile of trash floated by them.
They all said yes, so I asked them to please recycle. Because of this program, I have made lots of good friends with teachers, other
students, and staff. Everyone was eager to start recycling and help the planet.

What advice do you have for students wanting to start a recycling program at their school or in
their community? I say go for it! You are going to make the earth a so much prettier place. First of all, talk to your teachers
and principals about starting a project, get your supplies ready, and then get the word out about how helpful it can be to the school
and community. Trust me, you can do it. Just set your mind to it, and you can do anything. Remember to make the word green
mean something.

What plans do you have after graduation and completing your CTE program?

I plan to go to Gulf Coast

Community College to get my basics and then to Ole Miss to become a registered nurse.

hosa award
Alisha Sifuentes and Kodi Wright of Winston-Louisville Career and Technology Center placed third in
the national HOSA competition with their Health Education project focusing on teen pregnancy.
Connections Spring 2013 21

Research and Curriculum Unit
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